CNA's/PCTs are worked real hard.

[Katie5]

Sometimes much too hard. Do you ever feel guilty or empathy?I do. Absolutely true that what we as nurses do can be exceedingly hard and in some cases vital to the very life of the patient but sometimes when I see a pct that is about give out, I feel a sort of indignation/hurt on their behalf like,"why do you take this?"It's like I want to push them to schhol to get that degree and out of the mindless stampede.

Not sure if my thoughts are saying what I want them to say and I'm not trying to offend anyone but do you see where I'm coming from?

I love my pct and you treasure the ones you work so well with and I know most people enjoy their jobs to get into it the first place, but sometimes I do ache for my pcts and try to help and be available as much as I can.

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

And, to get back on topic: I am a NA. Don't feel sorry for me, I could leave. I was hired to work and to work hard. I just wish I got paid more, I deserve it. We all do.

Just curious. Why don't you go and study for your Bachelor of Nursing? or BSN whatever it is called in the UK. What is stopping you? Or do you like being a NA? You'd get more money as a RN wouldn't you in the UK?

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

Yes I agree being a CNA can suck. It's not easy work, and for what they do in my state they are paid 10 an hour. That's not showing them appreciation. They get blamed a lot for things that go wrong. Yes we have CNA's who have attitudes and I don't like that. Yes I do in a way feel badly for them, but they chose that position and if they want to can further their career.

However, most love their jobs.

Yes, I also worked in a dirty job that paid $10 an hour when I was studying. I wouldn't get out of bed for $10 an hour now. Boy did I live on a VERY tight budget. But I did it and others can too, if they want to. It's mainly about your mindset and about what you REALLY want out of your life.

[I am Legend]

I AM A CNA! Yes I'm in nursing school right now but I've worked as a CNA for over two years before being interested in becoming an RN. I do believe that CNA's are much under appreciated. I don't see why they don't get paid more. They work the hardest and get paid the least. But I guess that's life. I love going to school and cannot wait to be a registered nurse!!! It is definitely hard and every nurse out there deserves everything they've worked for.. I just wish that CNAs got more respect for what they do.

[SandraCVRN]

This is a never ending battle....Some poeple are lazy, be it PCT or nurses, how many times have we complained about our fellow nurses that take extra breaks, surf the web etc?? Most of us work our behinds off, nurses and techs alike.

How many times do we say, it would be nice if someone just thanked us once in a while. Do you thank your techs? Do you take 5 minutes looking for them when you could have spent 2 minutes getting that water or whatever for your pt?

As far as pay...that's the way of the world, generally the harder you physically work the lower the pay....

Thanks to all the GOOD & GREAT techs out there!!!!

[fuzzywuzzy, CNA]

I agree other things hinder people in their career. I'm sorry life is hard for you at the moment.

Life is TOUGH no doubt about it. But if you constantly make endless excuses, it will only hinder you more. Many people have struggled through adverse situations to study to better themselves. I worked full time to support myself whilst studying, often in crappy, very low paid, dirty jobs, and I am on my own so can't rely on another income. Many nights when I came home, all I did was eat dinner (sometimes I even ate raw stuff cos I was too tired to cook), fell into bed then up again at the crack of dawn for work. I studied nearly every night (except when I was sick or had a special outing to attend). I studied every weekend as well. I re-arranged my schedule to ACCOMMODATE MY STUDY, not to accommodate the rest of my life. I rarely saw friends and turned down outings to study for exams etc. People are unwilling nowadays to make the sacrifices necessary to finish their study and gain their degree.

And no, sorry to sound rude, but life isn't fair. You can't walk around with that 'unfair mentality'. Nobody cares if your life isn't fair. You need to set a plan of action and STICK to it. Remember you're doing this for yourself, nobody else. You can make endless excuses about ANYTHING, but it won't get you anywhere. I've known people who have made excuses their whole life not to finish study, and they now regret it.

I had to change my attitude also to finish my study, it was very hard, but I did it.

If you want help or advice in any way, please feel free to contact me. I am always happy to help you.

You don't need to be so patronizing. I wasn't looking to start a contest about who has the hardest life; just pointing out that not all people without a degree are lazy.

[CNABESS]

I just posted a thread about this very thing. I was surprised to see that a few nurses were insulted that i did not want to continue on in my education and become a nurse. I work very hard, and enjoy my job. I do not tolerate whining and I am old enough to say what I mean and mean what I say. No, I will not bring mrs. so-and-so her meds because you are very busy. I will be very happy however to get the vitals on the next three so you can save time, and I will make sure to weigh mr. such and such. I enjoy my job and love the nurses I work with. I find they appreciate me and I am happy to assist.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

As many have already pointed out, we ALL work hard. Everyone is overworked these days, but you find a way to cope with it. That's just life in general. I try to help my NAs where I can. If I'm not busy, I answer bells, toilet patients, whatever. And I don't complain. Because I chose to be a nurse, I knew it was challenging going in, and I try to see the positives.

After all, we are there for the people who need us...our patients. Furthermore, nursing is my second career. I know from experience that every job or profession can be taxing. Being overworked and understaffed isn't unique to nursing.

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

As a student I get to observe both dynamics and both roles as often the students are learning to be nurses but often are extra help too.

I do feel cna's are over worked and under paid. Especially what I saw in the LTC facilities. I do feel bad and will help them. I most feel bad when I have seen some of the nurses take advantage of having the aide.

But like every place you have lazy complainers everywhere. Aides and nurses alike. The ones I go lend a hand to more are the ones working hard and not complaining. Last week at clinicals the floor I was on had 2 halls. I was on one side and the aide was really good and he was working hard. My patients were on this hall. I would hear a call light and he would already be on it or if I got to the room first he would come see if I needed any help. Now the other hall I wasn't on and didn't know the patients, the lights kept going off. I would give it a minute or two to see if the aide or people on that side were going to take care of them,(the people working on that hall were all around) finally would see that no one was going to answer the light so I went to do it. Every dang time the cna to that hall was chatting to other people in the hall or at the nutrition station eating and talking. The nurses that had those patients were chatting about everyday things at the station. I must of answered at least 15 of the call lights in a 6 hr period while this happened. Could not believe it. The co-nurse I was with on the other hall was very hands on and helpful and answering lights and stuff.

Oh and I just wanted to add. I. Am in. My 4th semester now and I must say, so far 95% of my exp with the nurses. And the aides has been good. The aides were good and so were the nurses and the nurses were very hands. On with helping.

My iPad likes to randomly start. New sentences on a whim so sorry for that.

I will make sure though to always show appreciation to the hard working aides I end up with and help. With them when I can. One facility I was at they were doing budget cuts and starting having the aides start doing 8 hour shifts leaving the nurses without aides for the rest if the time. Those nurses felt a whole new appreciation for having those aides when they no longer had them. But than they became over worked.

Solution? 1:1 ratio for nurses and aides. Wouldn't that be nice!!!

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

You don't need to be so patronizing. I wasn't looking to start a contest about who has the hardest life; just pointing out that not all people without a degree are lazy.

I honestly did not think I was being patronizing. If ur happy with ur life, I don't care - good luck to you. So be it.

The offer to help still stands BTW.

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

I also wanted to point out that many, many times as an agency nurse I have worked in very overcrowded hospitals/aged care places with NO nursing aides, CNAs, or whatever you call them in your country. THAT is hard work, no doubt about it. The time I would have killed for a nurses aide I tell you, to help out are many!

[Katie5]

As far as pay...that's the way of the world, generally the harder you physically work the lower the pay....

Thanks to all the GOOD & GREAT techs out there!!!!

Very interesting thought to ruminate on. Thanks.

[Weebee, LVN]

As a CNA now a LVN I agree.... but I think we are all worked too hard.....

Then my hospital goes and terminates all their CNA's at night because "The patients are asleep" I hate stupid people...